This is a story about Matthew's thoughts when Jaffar dies. (Gets pelted by various objects.) Yes, I killed him. Please review (or not) as you see fit.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem
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Matthew looked at his lifeless face. He looked the way he always did; an unsmiling mouth, eyes that were cold and hard even when closed, callous skin that was tan from hours spent outdoors, an expressionless brow that gave nothing away. If the spy didn't know any better, he would've thought that Jaffar was merely sleeping. Of course, the Angel of Death probably never truly slept, even when he was alive. Being an assassin kept him coiled like a spring that had to be ready to strike at any possible moment.
But then, why was he here before them, lost in the deepest sleep of all?
The Ostian spy couldn't help but note the look on his face. In life, he was always tense, always on the edge without a moment of rest. In death, he looked subtly different. When you're dead, you don't really worry about things anymore, do you? He was finally at peace.
Peace that he didn't deserve, thought Matthew bitterly with his fists clenched. He paused a moment to look down at his hands, trembling from the force of his grip. Why was he still angry? Jaffar was dead. What good would it be to hate the deceased?
Near the front of the crowd that had gathered there in funeral garb, there was one lone person crying. Nino. She was the only one who ever approached the assassin with neither fear nor hatred. She was innocent, sweet, gentle and kind. Jaffar's death was being mourned by this young girl whose personality did not befit her as his constant companion. Matthew pondered this.
Perhaps what he wanted wasn't simply Jaffar's death. Perhaps what he wanted was for his death to be celebrated, for him to die as another enemy in the faceless crowd of the dead.
Nino's sobs echoed, a lone voice in the heavy silence of death. In spite of himself, Matthew couldn't help but feel sympathy for the girl. She certainly didn't think of Jaffar as someone faceless. The thief continued to brood. If it were anyone else in the army, she wouldn't be crying, not like this. What aspect of the Angel of Death could possibly warrant such compassion? If anything, he didn't deserve a single tear.
Matthew contemplated the cold face of the dead killer, willing the corpse to answer him. What have you done to deserve love? Why should anyone care that you've breathed your last?
A hand firmly grasped his shoulder from behind. "Matthew... Is everything all right?"
The spy smiled wryly without turning to face his lord. "No, young master, I don't think so."
"I guess not... You can tell me about it if you like. Heck, I bet we share some of the same feelings about this."
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
Hector walked up beside him. Nino's snivels continued in the background. It was heart-wrenching to hear her, a single mourner among those who thought of Jaffar as a monster. The blue-haired lord restlessly shifted his weight from foot to foot and spoke. "He... he must've done something right for Nino to be so upset. Kind of infuriating that Leila's killer was able to befriend a sweet girl like her.
"... Yeah. I guess it is."
Somehow, Matthew felt reassured that there was at least one other person who could see the situation from his point of view. Hector cleared his throat to break the awkward silence. "Does it... does it make you angry that he died?"
Matthew made a quiet snort. "Heh. I kind of wish that I was the one to finish him off."
"You want to be a murderer?"
"No... I used to think that it wasn't possible to murder Jaffar. After all, it's not murder when all you're killing is a heartless monster."
"... Matthew, that's..."
"Let me finish. Did you know that I managed to blackmailed him once? I pretended I was poisoning Nino... Y'know what? He cared about her enough to give in."
His gaze wandered to Jaffar's prone figure again. Fresh wildflowers had been placed on his chest, positioned so it appeared as though he was sniffing them. Matthew scoffed at the possibility of someone like him enjoying the smell of flowers. It was a laughable idea. After all, monsters don't sniff flowers.
Suddenly, a recent memory stirred in the back of the thief's mind. He saw Nino sneaking out the night before to find those flowers, a bouquet of innocence accompanying the assassin to the grave. Jaffar probably would've smelled them, if only to please her.
"Perhaps... he wasn't completely heartless."